Tag Archives: King David

The site of et-Tell, thought by some to be the location of New Testament Bethsaida, has provided more evidence of being Old Testament Geshur, or a town of Geshur.

Maacah, one of David’s wives, was the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur (2 Samuel 3:3). Absalom, son of David and Maacah, stayed at Geshur for three years (2 Samuel 13:37-38).

Our photo shows the city gate of this Iron Age city. A sign in the courtyard says,

This is the heart of the ancient town. Here the public activities of the city took place. It was the center of commercial, judicial, and religious life.

And it includes a fitting text that illustrates the importance of the gate in a Biblical city.

Now David was sitting between the two gates, and the watchman went up to the roof of the gate by the wall… (2 Samuel 18:24 ESV)

The Iron Age city gate at a town of Geshur. Photo by Ferrell Jenkins.

Notice the plain standing stones on either side of the gate. And notice the stylized figure of a horned bull on the right of the gate. The image is said to represent an Aramean (Syrian) god. There is a Biblical reference to such an image in 2 Kings 23:8.

Archaeological digs in Israel are winding down and the maximalists are having a great time. Today’s report comes from the excavation of Khirbet Qeiyafa which is conducted jointly by Professor Yossi Garfinkel of the Hebrew University and Saar Ganor of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Aerial photo of Khirbet Qeiyafa. Photo: Sky View, courtesy of the Hebrew University and the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Here is today’s Press Release from the Israel Antiquities Authority.

“

King David’s Palace was Uncovered in the Judean Shephelah

Royal storerooms were also revealed in the joint archaeological excavation of the Hebrew University and the Israel Antiquities Authority at Khirbet Qeiyafa ***
These are the two largest buildings known to have existed in the
tenth century BCE in the Kingdom of Judah

Two royal public buildings, the likes of which have not previously been found in the Kingdom of Judah of the tenth century BCE, were uncovered this past year by researchers of the Hebrew University and the Israel Antiquities Authority at Khirbet Qeiyafa – a fortified city in Judah dating to the time of King David and identified with the biblical city of Shaarayim.

One of the buildings is identified by the researchers, Professor Yossi Garfinkel of the Hebrew University and Saar Ganor of the Israel Antiquities Authority, as David’s palace, and the other structure served as an enormous royal storeroom.

Today (Thursday) the excavation, which was conducted over the past seven years, is drawing to a close. According to Professor Yossi Garfinkel and Sa’ar Ganor, “Khirbet Qeiyafa is the best example exposed to date of a fortified city from the time of King David. The southern part of a large palace that extended across an area of c. 1,000 sq m was revealed at the top of the city. The wall enclosing the palace is c. 30 m long and an impressive entrance is fixed it through which one descended to the southern gate of the city, opposite the Valley of Elah. Around the palace’s perimeter were rooms in which various installations were found – evidence of a metal industry, special pottery vessels and fragments of alabaster vessels that were imported from Egypt. The palace is located in the center of the site and controls all of the houses lower than it in the city. From here one has an excellent vantage looking out into the distance, from as far as the Mediterranean Sea in the west to the Hebron Mountains and Jerusalem in the east. This is an ideal location from which to send messages by means of fire signals. Unfortunately, much of this palace was destroyed c. 1,400 years later when a fortified farmhouse was built there in the Byzantine period”.

A pillared building c. 15 m long by 6 m wide was exposed in the north of the city, which was used as an administrative storeroom. According to the researchers, “It was in this building the kingdom stored taxes it received in the form of agricultural produce collected from the residents of the different villages in the Judean Shephelah. Hundreds of large store jars were found at the site whose handles were stamped with an official seal as was customary in the Kingdom of Judah for centuries”.

An aerial picture of the “palace” and the Byzantine farmhouse. Photograph: Sky View, courtesy of the Hebrew University and the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The palace and storerooms are evidence of state sponsored construction and an administrative organization during King David’s reign. “This is unequivocal evidence of a kingdom’s existence, which knew to establish administrative centers at strategic points”, the archaeologists say. “To date no palaces have been found that can clearly be ascribed to the early tenth century BCE as we can do now. Khirbet Qeiyafa was probably destroyed in one of the battles that were fought against the Philistines circa 980 BCE. The palace that is now being revealed and the fortified city that was uncovered in recent years are another tier in understanding the beginning of the Kingdom of Judah”.

Finds from the site. Photo: Clara Amit, courtesy of the Israel Antiquities Authority.

The exposure of the biblical city at Khirbet Qeiyafa and the importance of the finds discovered there have led the Israel Antiquities Authority to act together with the Nature and Parks Authority and the planning agencies to cancel the intended construction of a new neighborhood nearby and to promote declaring the area around the site a national park. This plan stems from the belief that the site will quickly become a place that will attract large numbers of visitors who will be greatly interested in it, and from it one will be able to learn about the culture of the country at the time of King David.

“

Comments: It is often true in the media that the headlines say more than the article. This seems to be the case here. I understand this Press Release to be saying that a large structure, called a palace (don’t think Buckingham!) has been found. There is evidence of “a metal industry, special pottery vessels and fragments of alabaster vessels that were imported from Egypt.” Whether these things are to be associated directly with the David (1010–970 B.C.) we read about in the Bible is a matter of interpretation.

I note that the aerial photo of the site is an older one; it does not show the structures we see in the recent closeup of the “palace” and Byzantine farmhouse. (Correction: See the correction by Luke Chandler in the comments below.)

Todd Bolen’s comment this morning is worth heeding.

To my conservative friends, I’d urge caution before making any bold claims based on Garfinkel’s work. Or any claims at all. Let’s wait and see how credible archaeologists evaluate his stratigraphy. If he’s correct, we’ve lost nothing by being patient.

I see that Todd has added several updates and links to the Israeli papers also. Take a look here.

Wayne Stiles has a nice blog in which he connects the Bible and its Lands to life. He has suggested five other blogs for his readers here. I am honored to be included in his list. I appreciate these introductory words.

Where biblical events took place are more than throwaway mentions in the pages of Scripture. Often, they have significant bearing on God’s participation in the lives of His people.

Unfortunately, because we’re unfamiliar with geography we often miss these nuggets. I have found a lot of help in several Holy Land blogs that open up the Bible’s lands to my understanding.

My friend and neighbor Luke Chandler has participated in the archaeological excavations at Khirbet Qeiyafa for at least three years. Qeiyafa is a city overlooking the Valley of Elah. Luke reported recently that a massive building program at the nearby town of Beit Shemesh would bring new residential buildings “no more than 20 meters from Qeiyafa’s western gate and wall.” At the present time the entire area from Qeiyafa eastward is without housing. The houses that have been drawn in show the proposed construction. Progress is sometimes good, but this is sad.

The current plan for the expansion of Beit Shemesh. Some buildings are no more than 20 meters or so from the casemate wall and gate. The likelihood of damage to the site during and after construction would be significant. (Comment by Luke Chandler)

You can read Luke’s comments and see others photo here. Visit the Khirbet Qeiyafa: Save King David’s CityFacebook page here. You will find more photos and diagrams.

As a young man David became well known in the royal household and was called upon to play the harp (Hebrew kinnor; often English lyre) for King Saul.

So it came about whenever the evil spirit from God came to Saul, David would take the harp and play it with his hand; and Saul would be refreshed and be well, and the evil spirit would depart from him. (1 Samuel 16:23 NAU)

The statue in our photo is near the “Tomb of David” and the room of the Last Supper on the traditional Mount Zion in Jerusalem.

Statue of King David playing the harp (Jerusalem). Photo by F. Jenkins.

David called upon the harp and lyre to awake. He said, “I will awaken the dawn!.”

A Song, a Psalm of David. My heart is steadfast, O God; I will sing, I will sing praises, even with my soul. Awake, harp and lyre; I will awaken the dawn! I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the peoples, And I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your lovingkindness is great above the heavens, And Your truth reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens, And Your glory above all the earth. That Your beloved may be delivered, Save with Your right hand, and answer me! (Psalm 108:1-6 NAU)

David was later described as “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1).

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Psalm 63:1 ESV)